In early stages of planning a trip for early October - will arrive on a Saturday morning and return home 8 days later on the following Sunday morning. Does it matter which city we do first? How many days in each? Would like to do a day trip from Prague to Terezin. Any hotel recommendations/ suggested location? Adult couple, hotel budget per night low $200s. Thank you!!

Since you are only doing two places I would do 4 days in Prague and three full days in Budapest.

Depending times on your flight back home..this should decide which city to fly home from.

www.aurushotel.cz

Here is a very lovely place to stay at in Prague.

Mamaison Residence Izabella Budapest, recommended. I see the same chain has a Prague hotel.

Last fall I stayed for 3 nights at the Hotel Klarov in the Mala Strena district of Prague.

I liked the place very much. http://hotelklarov.cz/ Nice views of the Prague Castle from your window.

Nice views, easy access (walk across a small park) to transportation, including 2 metro stations.

Not that expensive for a **** with breakfast.

Simple walk across the bridge to the heart of old town.

We have stayed at the Hotel Victoria in Budapest on the Buda side twice.
Discovered it in 2001 and was so happy with it returned in 2007. The front desk has an excellent staff and is invaluable for arranging for taxi service.
www.victoria.hu

sorry... didn't notice this was posted twice..Here's my comment from the other post.

Not sure it matters which you do first... and I would split the time roughly 50/50. I far prefer Budapest (and not because I live here)... But many love Prague and many on this board.

I would do the order based on flights - flying into one and home from the other if possible. That will save substantial time.

For that money - you can get a nice hotel... I never spend more than 50 euro in either city for a hotel. In Prague, we stay outside the center a bit in Andel (I have stayed in the center - but I do prefer this as restaurants options in the center are over priced and mediocre). Before we moved to Budapest we stayed at a B&B in the hills.

In Budapest, I like the location of the Gerloczy (small restaurant over the cafe). For location I would go here or around (there are more expensive chain hotels nearby). Look at Tripadvisor for hotel ratings.

I second Gerloczy, good breakfast, charming hotel in Budapest. In Prague, we stayed at Cerna Liska or Black Fox Hotel. Simple, local feel with excellent views of Old Town.

Thanks so much for these helpful suggestions - I am going to start checking them out. Any thoughts on the train from Prague to Budapest?

Train from Prague to Budapest will eat up a day.

Fly.

Check this lot for Prague - they'll fit your lodging needs http://www.avehotels.cz/EN/index.html. We stayed at the Bishop's House, which is about 60 yards from the Charles Bridge. The rooms are large, too. Whatever you choose, stay in Prague 1 and not in New Town or near the train station. Also, don't stay too close to the Castle because it's not central and it's at the top of a hill (wonder why?). Closer to the river is better.

Don't put much stock in this comment "restaurants options in the center are over priced and mediocre" - fact is there are a ton of restaurants, and a large "center" of Prague. The restos around Old Town Square do generally fit that description; the eating options in Prague 1 may or may not. Check inyourpocket.com, timeout.com, and The Prague Post (praguepost.com) for suggestions.

In Budapest, we stayed at the K&K Hotel Opera. It's about six blocks to the River, close to St. Iztvan's, close to Dohany Street, close to Liszt Ter, and right off Andrassy. Clean, modern, tremendous breakfast.

Note if you are going to fly Prague-Budapest, you want to have a triangle ticket from your start point. Much cheaper than an open-jaw plus a one-way.

<<Note if you are going to fly Prague-Budapest, you want to have a triangle ticket from your start point. Much cheaper than an open-jaw plus a one-way.>>

Not necessarily - price this out. There are discount airfares in Central Europe.

Personally, I always train from Budapest to Prague... At the end of the day, not sure it consumes much more time than a flight (given the location of airports in each city, advance checking requirements etc.)..

But if you get the facts, you can decide.